Vehicle reach and hound construction



G. M NAMARA, JR

VEHICLE REACH AND HOUND CONSTRUCTION Filed July 16, 1946 601% fiMcAavuara,

. Patented Oct. 12, 1948 TED flfFrFilCE 2,4-5o,97-7 IVEHICLE"REACI-IjMDjI-IOUND CONSTRUCTION Gordon G. McNamara,Jr.,=Gh'Icago,--Ill., assignor -to International "Harvester Gompany, --a--corll-Claims. =1

This invention "relat'esto a *vehicle and particularly to =a=vehicleofthe type commonly known as an all-*purpose truck ortrailer."More-specifically :it -relates to a reach and'hound construction for ave-hicle.

It is-an object-of this invention to-provide an improved reach and houndcontruction for a we- -:-h-icle,- said-construction being of simpledesign, of comparatively light weight, and inexpensive to :maintain.

It -is another object to provide animproved means =f or 4 connecting--the hound members of a vehicle to a' central longitudinal reach, saidcon- -nection being rigid with respect-to longitudinal movement, .--yetflexible in torsion so that the =hound -members-'are-readily flexed uponthe oscillation-of-th-e=front andrearaxles of the vehicle.

lt is .another object to provide an improved reach and houndconstruction for a vehicle --wherein:the hounds are connected toa-longitu- :dinal reach against longitudinal movement, the end portionsof --said hounds being connected to said reach ina manner to provide fora maximum torsional flexibility during-oscillation of the axles of Isaid vehicle.

*Itis still another object to-provide an improved means forconnecting-the'ends of -a pair of vehicle hound members of channelconstruction to a longitudinal reach, said=means providing a a maximumof torsional flexibility in said hounds during :oscillation of theaxlesof sa-id vehicle.

A completeunderstanding of the invention may :be had from the 'followingdetailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying sheet of'drawing, in which:

-Fligure 1 is a plan view (of a vehicle having a reach and houndconstruction embodying the @principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 Of-Figure 1,showing a clamping-means'for connecting the hounds -of said vehicle tothe vehicle-reach.

Figure 3 is asectio-nal view taken along :theline 3-301 Figure 1,showing the connecting'means ofalongitudinal reach to the 'forwardtransverse r-axle-of avehicle.

-Fr-thepurp0se of illustrations vehicle genorally-designated by thereference character [0 is shownin-Figure 1. This vehicle may be of'the=type know-n as an all-purpose trailer, sucha ve- -hiclegenerallybeingutilized in the handling of agricultural or similar products. Thevehicle 1'0 includes a front transverse axle ll carried on agroundwheels 12 and a rear transverse axle l3 carried on ground wheels 14,only one of which shown. The front-wheels H2 are steered -by means of'a-draft tongue I pivotally 'c'onnected to a box-structure i lfi w-hichis' centrally and rig-idly :mounted 'onthe 'axle 'l I.v The f drafttongue W5 is connected to -=a'ctuate a steering "arm I 1 conneoted to'atransverse tie rod= l 8. The tie rod l-B is connected at 1 its ends tosteeringmembers r l-9 "which are: connectedtolpivotal means adapted tosteer the-Wheels tZ. The steering mechanism --is of'theconventionaltype, an-d further descrip- -tion the'reof is not d'eemed necessary.

A- reach means is-generally indicated at 2| and consists of an innertube or telescoping-member -22 rigidly connectedto the rear axle bymeans of a pin- 23. The inner member 22 is axially movable within anouter tubularrmember 24 having :a plurality of longitudinally spacedopenings 24 The-outertubularmember- 24 extendsat itsfront endthroughth'e-box [6, through the axle ll,-'an-d "is free -to .journal or=pivot therein. A collar 25 isrigidly' seeured'tothe-member 24bymeansofa pin--26. Thecollar 25 -is positioned b'etween'avertical-member?! of the boxit and the axle II and functions to retainthe outer member 24 against longitudinal movement "with mespect to theaxle ll. It can thus be seen that the outer -member 24 is free to-pivotwith respect tothe axle -l l but is otherwise "securely carriedthereon.A pair-of hounds or diagonal braces-28 are rigidly securedto the rearaxle -and extend'forwardly 'thereof forconnection to the outer tubularmember 24. A pair of hounds 29 are rigidly secured to the forward axle Hand extend rearwardly thereof for similar connection to the outertubularmember 24.

:A pair ofclamping members are generally designated by the referencecharacter 30. "Each clamping member 30 consists of a collar '3!encircling said outer member'24 andlongitudinally movable on said memberto a-plurality of selected .positions. The collar 3l is provided withopenings 32. Each hounti '28 is provided 1 at its "end with asemi-circular portion 33 having openings 34. The semi-circularportions33 partially en with a radially inwardly extendingprojection 'til whichprojects through the alined openings '24, 32 and-34. v p v v "Theclamping members "35 may be selectively positioned at any position alongthe outer member by respective axial movement of the inner member 22 andthe outer member 24, thereby adjusting the longitudinal position of thetransverse axles I l and I3. It can be seen that by virtue of thecooperation of the projections 31 with the openings of the outer member,the collar, and the end portions of the hounds a construction isobtained which securely connects the hounds to the reach members againstlongitudinal movement. In vehicles of the type under consideration it isextremely necessary that the hounds are sufficiently flexible in torsionto permit the free oscillation of the front and rear axles. This isfully achieved by the manner in which the hounds are connected to thelongitudinal reach. Each opening 34 in the ends of the hounds issufficiently oversize with respect to the projection 31 so that alimited amount of movement therebetween is effected. Oscillatorymovement of the axles will place the hounds in torsion, and by virtue ofthis connection the end portions 33 of the hounds are free to flexsufficiently so that the maximum torsional action of the hounds isachieved. Thus the torsional movement is absorbed almost completely inthe hound members rather than in the part of the reach members indicatedby the reference character 38. It can readily be seen that the portionof the reach 38 is of insufiicient length to permit proper absorption ofthe torsional stresses and that the applicants construction adequatelycompensates for this insufficiency.

The free torsional movement of the hounds can readily be increased bysimply unloosening the bolts 36 so that the greater relative movementbetween theend portions 33 and the collar Si is possible This is ofprime importance since it permits adjustment of the connection betweenthe hounds and the reach under all conditions which might be met in theuse of the vehicle. Regardless of the relative tightness of the bolts35, the hounds are rigid with respect to the reach during longitudinaldraft forces, yet sufliciently flexible to absorb torsional forcescaused by oscillation of the axles.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that an improved reachand hound construction for a vehicle has been provided, the particularfeatures residing in the novel manner in which the hounds are connectedto the longitudinal reach member.

It will be understood that various modifications and alterations may bemade in this construction without departing from the spirit of theinvention nor the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising front and rear transverse axles, a longitudinalreach means between said axles including a first and second reach partconnected together for relative longitudinal adjustment, hound membersconnected to said axles and extending angularly for connection to saidreach means, said hound members and said first reach part having alinedopenings, a clamping means, and a radially inwardly extending memberassociated with said clamping means, said member engaging said alinedopenings and constructed and arranged to lock said hounds againstlongitudinal movement with respect to said first reach part.

2. A vehicle having first and second transverse axles, telescoping reachmeans between the axles including inner and outer axially movablemembers,a collar carried by said outer member for adjustmentlongitudinally to selective positons on said reach means, a pair ofhounds connected to said first axle, said hounds being provided with endportions engaging said collar, and means connecting said end portionsand said collar to said outer member comprising a pair of clampingsegments encircling said end portions, said clamping segments havingprojections engaging said end portions and said outer movable member torelatively secure the same against longitudinal movement.

3. A vehicle having first and second transverse axles, telescopinglongitudinal reach means between the axles including inner and outeraxially movable members, a collar carried by said outer member foradjustment longitudinally to selective positions on said reach means, apair of hounds connected to said first axle, said hounds being providedwith semi-circular end portions, clamping segments connecting saidcollar and said end portions, said end portions, collar, and outermember having alined openings, and a projection extending radiallythrough said openings for'locking said collar and said end portionsagainst longitudinal movement with respect to said outer member.

4. A vehicle having first and second transverse axles, telescopinglongitudinal reach means between the axles including inner and outeraxially moveable members, means pivotally connecting said outer memberto said. first axle, a collar carried by said outer member foradjustment longitudinally to selective positions on said reach means, apair of hounds connected to said first axle, said hounds being providedwith end portions, semi-circular clamping segments con necting saidcollar and said end portions, said end portions, collar, and outermember having alined openings, and a projection associated with saidreach means, said projection extending radially through said openingsfor locking said collar and end portions against longitudinal movementwith respect to said outer member.

5. A vehicle having first and second transverse axles, telescopinglongitudinal reach means between the axles including inner and outeraxially movable members, a collar carried by said outer member foradjustment longitudinally to selective positions on said reach means, apair of hounds connected to said first axle, said hounds being providedWith end portions, semi-circular clamping segments connecting saidcollar and said end portions, said end portions, collar, and outermember having alined openings, and a projection extending radiallythrough said openings for locking said collar and end portions againstpivotal and longitudinal movement with respect to said outer member.

6. A vehicle having first and second transverse axles, telescopinglongitudinal reach means between the axles including inner and outeraxially movable members, means pivotally connecting said outer member tosaid first axle, a collar car- 7. A vehicle havin first and secondtransverse axles, telescoping longitudinal reach means between the axlesincluding inner and outer axially movable members, means pivotallyconnecting said outer member to said first axle, means connecting saidinner member to said second axle, a pair of collars carried by saidouter member for adjustment longitudinally to selective positions onsaid reach means, a pair of hounds connected to each transverse axle,said hounds being provided with semi-circular end portions engaging saidcollars, and clamping members encircling said end portions and saidcollars, said clamping members bein constructed and arranged to securesaid hounds against longitudinal and pivotal movement with respect tosaid outer member.

8. A vehicle having front and rear transverse axles, a telescopinglongitudinal reach means between the axles including longitudinal innerand outer axially movable members, said outer member having a pluralityof longitudinally spaced openings, means pivotally connecting said outermember to the front axle, a pair of hounds extending from the outermember and respectively connected to the front and rear axles, meanssecuring each of said hounds to said outer member against relativelongitudinal and pivotal movement comprising, a collar telescopinglyassociated with said outer member, said collar member being providedwith an opening adapted to be selectively placed to register with any ofsaid openings of said outer member, a pair of complementary clampingmembers encircling said collar member and the end portions of saidhounds, a projection connected to each clamping member, said projectionsextending through said collar member and said openings in said outermember, and means for securing said clamping members.

9. A vehicle having first and second transverse axles, telescopinglongitudinal reach means between the axles including inner and outeraxially movable members, a pair of hounds connected to each axle, meanssecuring each hound to said outer member against relative longitudinalmovement comprising, a collarassociated with said outer member andadapted to be selectively longitudinally positioned thereon, a pair ofcomplementary clamping members encircling said collar member,projections on said clamping members; said outer member, said collar andsaid hounds having openings registering with one another ,for engagingsaid projections, and means for adjustably securing said clampingmembers with respect to one another.

10. A vehicle having first and second transverse axles, telescopinglongitudinal reach means between the axles including inner and outeraxially movable members, means connecting said outer and said innermembers to said first and second axles respectively, a pair of houndsconnected to each axle, means rigidly securing each hound to said outermember against relative longitudinal and pivotal movement comprising, acollar associated with said outer member and adapted to be selectivelylongitudinally positioned thereon, a pair of complementary clampingmembers encircling said collar member, projections on said clampinmembers; said outer member, said collar and said hounds havin openingsregistering with one another for engaging said projections, and meansfor securing said clamping members with respect to one another.

11. A vehicle having front and rear transverse axles, a telescopinglongitudinal reach means between the axles including longitudinal innerand outer axially movable members, said outer member having a pluralityof longitudinally spaced openings, means connecting said inner member tothe rear axle, means Divotally connecting said outer member to the frontaxle, a pair of hounds extending from the outer member and respectivelyconnected to the front and rear axles, means rigidly securing each ofsaid hounds to said outer member against relative longitudinal movementcomprising, a collar telescopingly associated with said outer member,said collar member being provided with an opening adapted to beselectively placed to register with any of said openings of said outermember, a pair of complementary clamping members encircling said collarmember and the end portions of said hounds, a projection connected toeach clamping member, said projections extendin through the end portionsof said hounds and said openings, and adjustable tensionable means forsecuring said clamping members about said longitudinal reach.

GORDON G. MCNAMARA, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,085,038 Hall Jan. 20, 19142,115,566 Voorhees Apr. 26, 1938 2,330,299 McNamara Sept. 28, 1943

